Device for centering and maintaining short spool pieces

ABSTRACT

A method of threading short spool pieces prepared from lined pipe and a novel device for maintaining the short spool centered in a conventional pipe threading machine is disclosed. The device enables a person skilled in the craft to cut and thread short pieces of lined pipe without injuring or destroying the pipe lining.

This is a division, of application Ser. No. 661,293, filed Feb. 25,1976, U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,762.

DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART THE INVENTION

This invention deals with a method of cutting and threading shortlengths of lined pipe without injuring the lining of the pipe. It alsodeals with a novel device for maintaining and centering the short piecesof pipe in a conventional pipe threading and cutting machine.

The method is dependent on the device because of the fact that theconventional pipe threading machine cannot thread lengths of pipe ofless than eleven or twelve inches.

The reason for this limitation is due to the construction of such pipethreading machines, that is, the machines are constructed so that thethreading head is quite distant from the workholder. Such necessaryelements of the threading machine such as the workholder, retainingplates, gear boxes, guide boxes, cam plates and so forth are required tobe large and solidly built so that the machine can stand the rigors ofthreading metal pipe. Thus, these parts are large and bulky and by thetime they are fitted together in their proper positions, they constitutea total length approaching 12 to 14 inches. Therefore, when pipe is setup in the machine for threading, the pipe is introduced into the machineat the end which contains the workholder. It is at this point that thepipe can be clamped to maintain it in a rigid position. The pipe ispushed through the threader until the leading end of the pipe comesthrough the machine and at this point any measuring, etc. that isnecessary is carried out before the pipe is securely clamped. It is atthis second end of the threader that the cutting head and dies arelocated. The distance from the clamping end of the threader to thecutting end of the threader is 11 to 12 inches. Necessarily then, anywork piece shorter than 11 to 12 inches in length cannot be cut orthreaded on the machines because they cannot be held securely in place.

An additional problem arises when one is attempting to cut pipe whichhas a plastic lining. The object in using lined pipe is to keep the pipefrom disintegrating internally from caustic solutions or acids. Onecould normally use inert plastic pipe for such abnormal utilities but inmost cases, the metal pipe is required to maintain the necessarystrength of the pipe. If the plastic lining is injured or destroyed,then the object in using such pipe is lost.

It is, therefore, advantageous not only to have the ability to makeshort pieces of lined pipe with threads but, in addition, it isadvantageous to obtain these short pieces with little or no injury orloss to the lining.

In a typical situation, the threader is used in the field, that is, thethreader is used in areas of construction where there does not existmachine shops or the like. This in-field use was heretofore hamperedseverely because of the inability of the craftsmen to make short pieces,in the field, on the conventional threading machines. The usual methodis to have those short pieces made in a machine shop on a metal lathe.This is not only time consuming but is expensive.

It is quite obvious, therefore, that any method which would allow thepreparation of these short pieces on the job site, using a conventionalthreading machine, was highly advantageous.

It is convenient at this point to disclose that the instant invention islimited to work pieces having a minimum length of 3 inches to a maximumlength of 12 inches. Any pieces shorter than 3 inches is physicallyimpossible because of the construction of the inventive device and theconstuction of the threading machine. Also, when two flanges arethreaded on the same workpiece, the overall length of the two flangeswould constitute 3 inches. Thus, to effectively utilize the workpiecewith two flanges, the minimum length of the workpiece must be 3 inches.Of course, any workpiece of 12 inches or longer will fit between thecutting head and the workpiece clamp and the inventive device is thennot necessary.

It should also be noted at this point that lined pipe is connectedtogether by way of flanges when constructed into a pipeline. It isimportant to understand this since the name "short spool pieces" isderived from the configuration of these pipes in their finished form.After the short piece of pipe is cut and threaded according to thisinvention, flanges are then threaded on each end of the threaded pipe.These flanges are threaded on the pipe until each extends 1/8 of an inchor so beyond the end of the pipe. If the lined pipe was cut correctly,there is also a short piece of pipe lining extending beyond the end ofeach end of the pipe. In a later step in the operation, which is notpart of this invention, a heating device in the shape of a cone isplaced over the plastic liner, the plastic is heated to soften it andthe softened plastic is spread across the face of the flange. The pieceof pipe with the treated flange is then bolted to another piece of pipewith a similarly treated flange and the bolts are tightened. The plasticthus forms the gasket for the flanges.

If one visualizes a short workpiece with two flanges affixed to it, oneon either end, the workpiece does indeed look like an empty threadspool. Hence, the art term "short spool pieces".

For purposes of our invention and the discussion herein, "short spoolpieces", "spool pieces" and "short pieces" are interchangeable terms andall terms mean pieces of plastic-lined, metal pipe having lengths of 3to 12 inches.

For purposes of clarification, the terms "conventional" and "standard"applied to threading machines and thread sizes means those threadingmachines typically represented by RiGiD®, manufactured by the Ridge ToolCo., Elyria, Ohio, and thread sizes which are commonly and ordinarilyused in conventional pipe fitting.

The threading machines are presented for illustration purposes only andform no part of this invention.

The pipe utilized in this invention is metal pipe which has been linedwith a plastic. Such plastic linings are well known in the art andconsist typically of polyvinyl chloride polymers, polyethylene polymers,Teflon®, Kynar®, curable polyurethane polymers and the like. It is notthe intention of the inventors to limit this invention to any particularplastic lined pipe.

The pipe stock utilized in this invention is any metal pipe that islined with plastic so long as the metal pipe is capable of being cut andthreaded.

This invention can be carried out on pipes having inside diameters of 1to 6 inches, however, it is preferred that the pipe stock be in therange of 1 to 4 inches. This limitation is governed by the capabilitiesof the particular threading machine being used. If the machine has thecapability of handling 8 inch pipe, this invention can be practiced onpipe having diameters of 1 to 8 inches.

Turning now to the invention and considering the accompaning drawingswhere like numbers have like references, the part labeled 1 is a hollowstabilizer bar and the part labeled 2 is a workholder which serves tohold the piece being worked on. Part 3 is a retaining lip and 4 showsinternal threads in the workholder.

FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal cut through a typical lined pipedesignated 8, such as can be cut and threaded by the use of thisinvention. The part designated 5 is the pipe wall, the part designated 6is the internal plastic lining. Part 10 shows the leading edge of thepipe.

FIG. 3 shows the typical pipe of FIG. 2 before the threads have beencut.

FIG. 4A shows the workholder 2 in more detail and further, shows theinventive device in proper position relative to the threaded pipe 8 asshown in FIG. 4B to receive the threaded pipe.

FIG. 4B shows the threaded pipe 8 in greater detail, illustrating theleading edge of the pipe 10, the pipe wall 5, the inner plastic lining 6and the external threads 7.

FIG. 5 shows the FIGS. 4A and 4B in a coupled position such that theleading edge of the pipe 10 meets the retaining lip of the workholder 3securely.

FIG. 6 shows a completed product made by the use of the invention andwhich consists essentially of a short threaded workpiece (lined pipe) 5,fitted on both ends by piping flanges 12 and showing the extendingplastic pipe ends on each end 6.

The part designated 1, is a hollow stabilizer and guide bar. This unitis at least 9 inches in length from the back face of the workholder 2 toits distal end. The outside diameter of the stabilizer and guide bar is13/8 to 65/8 inches depending on the size of the stock being worked.When the stock is 4 inch pipe, for example, the hollow stabilizer guidebar is usually also 45/8 inches in outside diameter. Two reasons existfor this:

A. The stabilizer must be stout enough to handle the rigors of cuttingthe larger stock, and

B. The workholder is easier adapted to the stabilizer bar, that is, nofurther adapters are required.

The inside diameter of the hollow stabilizer and guide bar is veryimportant, in that, the inside diameter of the hollow stabilizer andguide bar must be such that it is from 1/8 to 1/4 inch smaller than theinside diameter of the workholder 2 at the interface of the two parts.This forms a retaining lip 3 which prevents the short spool from beingthreaded into the workpiece beyond the required depth. It should benoted that there is no plastic lining in the hollow stabilizer and guidebar.

The workholder 2 has internal standard threads 4 which receive thethreaded end of a short spool piece (FIG. 2). The threads are normallyslightly beveled towards the inside and, in the drawings, the threadsare exaggerated for clarification. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of apartially completed short spool piece without the flanges. The shortspool piece is made from a piece of pipe as depicted in FIG. 3. Thisfigure shows the pipe wall 5 and the pipe lining 6. The figure on theextreme left of FIG. 3 shows the short pipe with a section of the piperemoved to expose the pipe lining. This is the first step in theprocess, i.e., the removal of a predetermined section of the pipe. Theamount of lining exposed is dependent on the size of pipe being used.The exposed lining will eventually be melted against the flange to forma gasket and, therefore, whatsoever will form an adequate gasket in thislater step is what is left exposed. Generally for 4 inch pipe,approximately 15/16 inch of lining is exposed. For a 2 inch pipe,approximately 7/8 inch of lining is exposed.

The next step in the method is to cut threads on the end of the pipewhich shows the exposed lining. These are standard threads and are cut astandard distance and a standard depth (FIG. 2) for flanged, lined pipe.

Up until this point, the method is carried out without the inventivedevice.

The inventive device must now come into play as the pipe is now cut tothe overall desired length which, for purposes of this invention, isless than 12 inches in length.

FIG. 4 shows the inventive device on the left as was shown in FIG. 1,and the threaded short pipe on the right 8 in a position in which theyare about to be coupled. The short pipe is inserted in and threaded intothe workholder 2 of the inventive device wherein the lining 6 slidesinside the hollow of the hollow stabilizer and guide bar. The short pipeis threaded in until the leading edge of the pipe 10 contacts theretaining lip 3. At this point, the short pipe is seated, the hollowstabilizer bar protects the lining and the short pipe cannot be threadedany deeper, causing the destruction of the lining.

The device, with the short pipe so inserted, is placed in the threadingmachine, the short piece is positioned in the cutting dies and theclamps of the threading machine are then turned down on the hollowstabilizer bar and guide thereby rigidly fixing the short piece so thata short segment of pipe can be removed from the short pipe and the endthereby threaded as was the first end of the short piece.

To complete the method, the device is removed from the machine, theshort piece removed, flanges 12 are threaded on and the exposed plasticlining is formed into a gasket. The short spool is thus shown as thefinished product in FIG. 6. This short spool is then inserted in apipeline and bolted to like pieces to form a continuous, leak-proofpipeline.

Minor changes and modifications are within the scope of this patent.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A device for centering and maintainingshort spool pieces in a conventional threading machine while cutting andthreading the short spool piece, said device consisting ofa hollowstabilizer and guide bar, which stabilizes the device when the device isclamped in a threading machine, having a length of 9 inches or greater,an outside diameter of from 13/8 to 65/8 inches and an inside diameterof from 1/8 to 1/4 inches smaller than the outside diameter, aworkholder, which is circular in structure and which has an outsidediameter greater than the outside diameter of the hollow stabilizer andguide bar and which has a standard threaded inside diameter of 1/8 to1/4 inch greater than the inside diameter of the hollow stabilizer andguide bar in order to hold short pieces of threaded pipe securely, saidworkholder having a length which is dependent on the diameter of theshort spool piece being processed, which in turn is dependent upon thelength of exposed lining that is desired in the short spool piece, saidworkholder being axially aligned and permanently affixed to one end ofthe stabilizer and guide bar. said one end of said stabilizer and guidebar extending radially inwardly beyond the inside threaded diameter ofsaid workholder to form a planar lip against which a leading edge of oneend of said spool piece is seated and said length of exposed liningextends into said guide bar when said spool piece is positioned in thedevice for cutting and threading an opposite end thereof.
 2. A device asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the hollow stabilizer and guide bar has anoutside diameter of 65/8 inches, an inside diameter of 6 inches and theworkholder has an outside diameter of 7 inches, a standard threadedinside diameter of 61/8 inches.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1wherein the hollow stabilizer and guide bar has an outside diameter of13/8 inch, an inside diameter of 1 inch and the workholder has anoutside diameter of 13/4 inches, a standard threaded inside diameter of11/8 inches.